The Duke of Gloucester, Patron, Pestalozzi International Village Trust opens the Pestalozzi Centre in Sedlescombe.

Pestalozzi is a UK-based charity with more than 50 years’ experience of offering life-changing opportunities to young people from disadvantaged communities around the world. The charity awards scholarships to exceptional 16-19 year olds who are academically gifted but have limited educational prospects in their home countries.

The new centre will provide a high-quality learning environment for both Pestalozzi students and local community groups.

I hope in years to come as people use the Pestalozzi Centre, it will become a vibrant part of not only your community but also the wider community, and I’d like to congratulate the designers, the builders and all those who made it possible

The Duke of Gloucester

In keeping with Pestalozzi’s multiculturalism, spirit students performed three rituals to bless the building: first burning incense at the entrance, secondly, The Duke was asked to light a candle as part of a Nepalese ceremony and then, following a Tibetan tradition, he scattered seeds blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to bestow luck on the building. The Duke, as Patron of the charity, also received the gift of two Tibetan Khata (white scarves) from student Chok Tsering and staff member Kalsang Yangkey.

The building will be used by a range of community groups and businesses, as well as the students. To find out more visit: www.pestalozzi.org.uk.